For overall wellbeing, a healthy diet is always essential as it comes with many benefits. For instance, it is common knowledge that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables has been scientifically proven to provide numerous health benefits including reducing the risk of several chronic diseases and keeping the body healthy. Nutritionist and dietician Joseph Uwiragiye says with our busy schedule, at times it’s overwhelming to making changes in our diet. He says that irrespective of this, it’s necessary to make small changes, by taking a new step one day at a time— this could be by making adjustments to things one can manage, and making changes with time. “When you start thinking of ways to make your regular diet healthy, with time it will become easier. The best part about this is that it will get into your mind, and become a part of you, just like work,” Uwiragiye says. Consider this Uwiragiye says start with including fruits and vegetables in your diet as they provide numerous health benefits, such as reducing risk of several chronic diseases. “There are a variety of fruits and vegetables that are readily available and affordable in almost every market. You don’t have to spend much, what is needed is to get into the habit of purchasing them the same way you purchase other foodstuffs,” he advises. Eugene Uwamariya, a nutritionist working with young children at an early childhood development centre in Bugesera District, says making your diet healthier doesn’t stop at choosing what to eat, but how you eat is crucial. She says that it is evident that the pace at which one eats influences how much they eat, as well as how likely they are to gain weight, which is another aspect to consider when it comes to making your diet healthier. In fact, she says studies comparing different eating speeds show that fast eaters are much more likely to eat more and have a higher body mass index (BMI) than slow eaters. She says that your appetite, how much you eat, and how full you get are all controlled by hormones. Hormones signal to your brain whether you’re hungry or full. However, Uwamariya says, it takes about 20 minutes for the brain to receive these messages, For this reason, eating slower may give your brain the time it needs to perceive that you are full. You can easily make your diet a bit healthier by choosing whole grain bread in place of traditional refined grain bread. Adding Greek yoghurt, going for a good source of protein, consuming eggs, and drinking enough water are some of the best ways to choose a healthy diet and stick to it. For instance, Uwiragiye says eating eggs in the morning increases feeling of fullness. This has been shown to cause people to consume fewer calories during later meals, which is important when it comes to losing weight.
